


Bewitched [VLD Witch AU by Nika]

by volleycatnika



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Familiars, M/M, VLD witch au, Witches, basically a crazier & more angsty version of sabrina the teenage witch, comedy... but with angst, familiar!keith, supernatural!AU, witch!AU, witch!Shiro
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-04
Updated: 2018-09-08
Packaged: 2019-06-21 12:19:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,395
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15557571
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/volleycatnika/pseuds/volleycatnika
Summary: Desperate for a place to live, college student Matthew Holt rents a private room in a renovated farmhouse. He shares the house with owner Shiro, Shiro’s mysterious friend Keith, and Shiro’s cat that is also named Keith? ?? More than meets the eye in this fic that explores the idea that the supernatural and magical hide within plain sight.





	1. First Meeting

**Author's Note:**

> For Gale, who had a rough day. And for my Nana whose farmhouse was the loose inspiration for the farmhouse in this story.
> 
> Not beta read - we die like lazy enbys.
> 
> I originally wanted to call chapter 1 Breadsticks and Broomsticks but he never did end up going into the barn like I originally thought of doing. If I had stuck to my original idea, Matt would’ve explore the whole farmhouse (minus the second floor and basement) and the barn. In the barn he would’ve found a bunch of handmade brooms. Shiro would write it off as the trade of one of his long gone relatives. In reality, it’s just one of the many services Shiro offers as a means to make money. He sells the brooms to witches and humans alike.

To say Matthew Holt was desperate would be an understatement. With his previous roommate bailing on him in the middle of the night before rent was due, he was left to pay rent alone. Considering the fact they shared the apartment because neither one of them could pay rent alone, it came to know surprise that his landlord promptly gave him his two weeks notice to find a new place to live. 

Trying to find a new place to live, especially with a college student’s budget is an...  _ Experience _ . Some of the places he looks at are the size of a closet. Others have mysterious and rather ominous looking stains. The worst of them are small, dirty and the neighbors look like criminals straight out of a cop show. With each disappointing apartment showing leading him one step closer to the date of his own eviction, Matt scrambles to find a place to live. He becomes so desperate that he scours even sketchy sites like Craigslist for a potential apartment. 

 

It is through Craigslist he finds Shiro. 

 

Nestled on the far outskirts of town, Shiro’s farmhouse is truly a sight to behold. Recently renovated, the house (and barn) look more like a country style inn than a ordinary house or potential apartment building or whatever it is  _ supposed _ to be. Shiro’s ad was a little vague, the only defining detail the shocking ‘everything included, $300 a month. Must like cats since I have one.’ 

Following the brick pathway along the gravel driveway, he passes a birdbath and a birdfeeder before reaching the front door. Giving the screen door a gentle tug, he steps onto the enclosed porch before reaching the real front door which is decorated with what appear to be hand painted flowers. Eyes scanning the door-frame for a sadly nonexistent doorbell, Matt settles for loudly knocking on the door. .

Luckily, Shiro is nearby. Answering the door with a polite ‘hello’ and a small smile, Shiro leads him into the nearby kitchen. The kitchen is surprisingly rustic, the walls and ceiling either painted or showing the wooden beams beneath. Dried plants and pots hang from a wooden fixture attached to the ceiling and a small counter with three stools is the only available place to eat in the kitchen. Or to cook recipes, All other counters, including the one by the sink, are housing drying dishes, a coffee-pot, microwave, spoons and other cooking utensils. 

Following Shiro’s motion for him to sit, he settles himself on top of one of the cushioned stools. “So I know my ad was a little unusual and probably could use some explaining,” Shiro starts, grabbing a bowl from the sink and setting it on their shared counter, “so help yourself to some breadsticks while I explain.” Never one to pass up free food, Matt grabs one and quietly munches on it. Shiro takes this as a sign to keep talking, so he continues, “It’s not really so much as an apartment as it is a private room. It’s in the attic but don’t worry it’s renovated, so there are nice hardwood floors and outlets and an A/C. Perhaps the best part is that you get your own bathroom. The only thing you don’t have up there is a kitchen, but I did put a toaster oven and rice cooker up there so making your own food isn’t impossible. I live on this floor and a friend of mine lives in the basement. He likes his privacy so don’t go down there unless he invites you. As long as we’re on the topic of things you should and shouldn’t do, I suppose I should talk about rules.” Shiro’s explanation turns out to be a long ramble but Matt doesn’t mind. It gives him a chance to eat more of the garlic breadsticks Shiro prepared.

“Rent can be paid on the last day of the month if you help me around the house and garden, if not I expect it to be paid on the first Friday of each month. You can cook your own food or you can have some of what I make because I always make too much. If you chose the later, we’ll just take turns paying for groceries. The washer and dryer are in the bathroom on this floor and you can use it as long as the door is not closed. There is a second story to the barn but you don’t really need to go up there since I use it for storage. The garden has a brick pathway and a treehouse that you can visit whenever you like.” Shiro concludes his speech with, “Do you have any questions?”

Matt has a few. One of the first things that caught his curiosity was Shiro’s scar. Stretching horizontally across his face, his scar is unusual and intriguing. He doubts the event that lead to it was pleasant so he doesn’t dare to ask about it. He also wonders how Shiro got the place. Shiro seems to be around his age - how could he afford a place like this? He doesn’t seem particularly rich, his outfit consisting of  a simple off-white button down shirt and ripped jeans. Did he get it from a family member? Is the house actually owned by his mysterious friend that lives in the basement? Knowing these question are a bit too personal for a first meeting, he settles for a more simple question. “Can you show me around?”

Shiro brightens at his request. “Of course. I’ll show you the attic first.” Exiting the kitchen, Shiro leads him through the dining room and living room, both are which are decorated with paintings of landscapes and pressed flowers and butterflies, before walking up a flight of stairs. As it turns out there is a second story to the farmhouse, one with four rooms or perhaps more accurately, four closed doors. “All of these rooms are small and are used for storage,” Shiro explains with a sheepish smile, “it may seem weird but this place has been passed down in my family from one generation to the next so there’s a lot of stuff to be kept since I can’t bring myself to get rid of any of it.”

Shiro’s explanation makes plenty of sense. However, part of Matt can’t help but yearn to explore the rooms. Perhaps if he chooses to live here Shiro will let him look around more. Leading Shiro to the end of the hallway, they walk up another flight of stairs. Opening a door that is painted a pale blue color, Shiro ushers Matt into the space.

The attic in essence, is a floor just to himself. The bathroom, although small, is conveniently located next to his closet. There’s a bed pressed into a corner, and an accompanying nightstand and dresser. Additionally, there is a desk and table. The later of which houses the toaster oven and rice cooker promised by Shiro. 

The walls are white and undecorated, ready to be altered by the future occupant. The floor is hardwood like Shiro mention earlier. There are three windows, one of which, to Matt’s delight, has a window seat. “Shiro, the space is wonderful. Are you sure you’re only asking  $300 for it?”

At his words, Shiro laughs. “Thank you. Oh I’m sure. Not many people like it since we’re practically in the woods and you don’t have your own appliances. Although, you could easily bring a mini-fridge up here. Perhaps the most pressing issue is that the few tenants I’ve had couldn’t get along with my cat. He can be a bit temperamental but given time to warm up to you, he’s a real sweetheart.”

As if on cue, a black cat crawls out from underneath the bed. Blatantly ignoring Matt, the cat softly mews at Shiro. “Speaking of Keith,” Shiro says, crouching to pick the cat up, “here he is. Say hi to Matt, Keith.” Keith promptly does the opposite, hissing at Matt before wriggling out of Shiro’s arms and trotting out of the room. “Sorry about that. You can easily lock him out if he proves to be trouble. Oh and he’s allowed to go outside so if he ever slips out when you open the front door don’t worry about it.”

“Noted,” Matt replies, with a thoughtful hum. Although he hasn’t seen everything and although the cat is a bit temperamental, he can’t help but like the place. It feels comfortable. It feels like home. “I really like it, Shiro. If you’re up for it, maybe we could get the paperwork done?”

“I like that idea,” Shiro replies, leading the way back downstairs, “when we’re done I’ll give you a key so you can move in whenever you like.” 

 

Matt has really lucked out, hasn’t he?

  
  



	2. Moving In

Knowing his small, battered blue Mazda could not possibly handle the sheer volume of his belongings. Matt rents a U-Haul truck. It’s a bit pricier than he expected but it’s a one time purchase that he has a feeling will pay off in the end. Carefully navigating the crack and hole filled paved road, he eases up on the gas when the pavement ends, following the dirt road to Shiro’s house.

Having texted Shiro with his expected arrival, he isn’t surprised to find him waiting for him. However, his is surprised by Shiro’s companion, a man with black tousled hair and clothing to match. The only pop of color on the man is the red leather jacket he has tied around his waist. Could the unfamiliar man be Shiro’s friend that lives in the basement?

Parking the U-Haul just outside the barn doors, Matt hops out of the driver seat, and offers a polite greeting. “Hey Shiro! You must be the guy that lives in the basement. I’m Matthew Holt but you can just call me Matt.” Offering a hand, the man spends a good ten seconds just eyeing his hand before shaking it. It is as though he’s never really given a handshake before. Either that or he’s not a fan of them. 

“I’m Keith,” is the only response he offers before hurrying to the back of the U-Haul truck. 

“Wait, so you have a cat named Keith and your friend’s name is Keith?” Matt asks, brows furrowed in genuine confusion. Then again, there is a chance that he misremembered the cat’s name.

At this, Shiro emits a loud and rather forced laugh. “Yeah, it’s a weird coincidence, isn’t it? Let’s get you moved in.” When Shiro leaves to join Keith at the back of the U-Haul truck, Matt merely follows him. Shiro’s response was rather awkward - perhaps the name ‘coincidence’ is a story for another time. 

Other than the incident with the name thing, unpacking is rather uneventful. When they’re halfway done they stop and have lunch. Shiro makes what he calls a ‘cucumber sandwich’ or rather two pieces of toast with peanut butter on one side, mayo on the other and some cucumbers sprinkled in between. It sounds disgusting but after one bite Matt finds himself wishing he had two sandwiches. Refueled and ready to go, they finish unloading the boxes in record time, allowing Matt to return the U-Haul truck long before it’s due. 

He returns to a quiet house, Keith assumably returning to the basement and Shiro alternating his time between the house and the garden. Shiro is quick to assure Matt that he isn’t expected to help on his first day and he’s welcome to wander about. Matt is quick to accept such an honor, poking his head into each and every room (except the ones he’s not allowed into). It’s interesting to try to learn more about Shiro through his decorations. It is a bit difficult though. He has a rather random collection of paintings, photographs, and trinkets. Many of his decorations are dated, old enough to be considered antiques. Some of his favorite finds are vintage movie posters that Shiro has hanging in his bedroom. He doesn’t get a good look at them - although Shiro didn’t explicitly ban him from his room, he doesn’t want to invade Shiro’s personal space.

Gently closing Shiro’s bedroom door behind him, he’s surprised to find Keith, _ the cat one _ , lying on the dining room floor. Lazily lying on his side, Keith raises his head and sleepily blinks at him, looking like the perfect picture of calmness. Keith’s yellow cat eyes never leave him as he crosses the room and enters the kitchen. The feeling of being watched so closely, even if it is by a cat weirds him out a bit. Deciding to get some space away from the cat and to continue his quest of exploring his new home, he makes his way to the barn. Wandering his way into the barn that is attached to the farmhouse, he makes his way past the lawnmower, bags of soil and other typical gardening tools. Curious to see just how big the barn is, he makes his way to the very back. 

The farther he walks the less he sees, the once bright light front the lights and the barn windows diming. Along with the loss of light, there is a loss of objects, Shiro seeming to store less the further in he goes. By the time he reaches the back of the barn, there’s nothing but openness. That, and well, strange glowing violet markings. There are a series of circles, as well as symbols that appear almost letter like in appearance. Connecting they circles and the word like symbols is a series of arrows, some of which point to the borders of the barn. Running his hand along the bottom border he feels a grainy, rough texture. Despite his better judgment, he lifts his hand to his face. It smells like… He sticks out his tongue.  _ Salt _ .  _ What is this? What are these symbols? Why are they back here?  _ Snapping a few pictures with his phone, he turns to retrace his steps. He doesn’t get far before his vision is obscured by a blur of black and red. 

Suddenly, he finds that his eyelids are drooping. He’s tired, completely exhausted. As his knees buckle something catches him. He’s faintly aware of the gentle sway of being carried as he falls into a dreamless sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cucumber sandwiches are a great summer meal FYI.


	3. A Series of Poorly Explained Events

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Only read over once for errors because I'm lazy.
> 
>  
> 
> Aww yeah, we're starting to get to the good stuff.

 

When Matt wakes up, his head is throbbing. Blinking at the bright rays of morning light that seep through the thin green curtains, he emits a groggy groan. Desperately rubbing his temples in an attempt to make the throbbing pain go away Matt rolls and wiggles his way out of bed. Scuffling his feet, he makes his way to the bathroom. 

Lowering his hands to prop himself up against the sink, he’s surprised to find a cup of water and some Tylenol. He doesn’t remember doing this. He doesn’t remember getting the cup or falling asleep in his room. He doesn’t even remember returning to his room. Dutifully swallowing the Tylenol, he runs a weary hand through his dirty blonde hair as he thinks. The last thing he remembers is… The barn. The symbols. Black and red. Was it all a dream? With a heavy sigh, he shuffles his way back to bed.

Unceremoniously falling onto it, he shoves a hand into his pants pocket, pulling out his phone. The battery, although at low 25% is enough to let him use his phone for a short amount of time. Entering his password in a matter of seconds, Matt’s breath catches in his throat as his eyes land on what his phone was left open to. It’s a picture of the strange markings and salt. It wasn’t a dream. It was real. Then again, there’s a small chance it isn’t real. This all could be a dream within the dream. No matter if it is real or a dream, Matt would love to eat some breakfast before trying to solve the mystery. 

Taking the stairs two steps at a time, he almost trips when he sees it. There’s an old-fashioned broom made of wood and straw sweeping. There’s no one moving it - it’s moving by itself. Furiously blinking in an attempt to clear his vision, he is greeted with the same sight. Furiously shaking his head, he ignores the broom in favor of continuing his quest for breakfast. Hurrying his way down the last flight of stairs, he passes through the dining room as quickly as possible before ending up in the kitchen. His rushing, done to possibly prevent running into more strange occurrences, backfires horribly. 

The soap, faucet, and sponge are washing dishes by themselves. Meanwhile, the toaster and plate are making toast, and the frying pan and spatula are making bacon and eggs. Turning to look out the front door he spots Keith, the cat one, lying on the enclosed porch. The cat Keith us using a laptop. Unable to type with his paws, he holds a pencil in his mouth, pressing one key at a time. Past him, out in the yard, Shiro works without having to physically hold the watering can and seems to be having a conversation with a tree.

Slowly backing away from the bizarre sights before him, he frantically pinches himself.  _ Wake up, wake up! _ He pinches himself so hard he’s left with bruises. He goes to the sink, pushes the self-washing dishes aside and splashes his face with warm water. Then cold. He takes a cup of water and dumps it over his head. The strange sights he sees don’t disappear. Well, one does. When he turns to leave, he can’t help but notice that Keith is no longer at the computer. There’s a familiar flash of black and read. The last thought that crosses Matt’s mind is  _ oh no, not again.  _

He wakes much like the first time, head throbbing and memory temporarily fuzzy. However, after dutifully downing another dose of Tylenol he’s able to remember. Although desperate for some sort of explanation for what he saw yesterday, he decides to shower first. He’s pretty sure he’s slept in the same clothes for two days now which is only not very comfortable but smelly as well. 

Shedding his olive green t-shirt and jean shorts, he steps into the shower. He gets halfway through his shower before he notices it. It’s small, about the size of a penny. Glowing a soft purple, it reminds him of the symbols in the barn. It’s hard to tell without a magnifying glass, but it seems to be more or less the same symbol, just smaller. What is the meaning of such a symbol? Why are they in the barn? Most importantly, why is there one in the shower? Hastily finishing his shower, he throws on a faded graphic tee and some cargo shorts. Desperate to get some sort of explanation for the strange events he’s witnessed, he gets his phone in order to take a picture of the symbol in the shower. If he were to zoom, he could get a better look and/or could use Google image search.

Or perhaps more accurately, he tried to. Unlocking his phone, he does indeed snap the picture but when he checks his gallery, the old pictures are gone. How could they be gone? They were there earlier and he didn’t delete them. In fact, he hasn’t really used his phone much since he moved in. Emitting a heavy sigh upon realizing he has come up with more questions than answers, he google searches the one photo he has. There is no exact match and the closest thing he can find is an Alchemist Circle/ Transmutation circle. Although he could easily investigate such a thing online, he decides to do some snooping. After All, there’s only so much he can look up based on a single picture. Perhaps if he finds physical evidence he can more easily use the internet as a tool to feed his curiosity.

Tip-toeing his way downstairs, he gently pushes Shiro’s door open. Selecting a book at random, he is greeted by the sight of unfamiliar symbols. He moves to pull out his phone, to compare to the symbols with that of the bathroom when someone awkwardly clears their throat. Eyes jumping from the page to the doorway, Matt drops the book as his eyes connect with Shiro’s. “I was just… Uhhh….” Matt stammers, picking up the book and sliding it back onto the shelf. Unable to think of a good lie, he blurts out the truth. “I was looking for answers. I found some weird stuff in the barn and in the kitchen and Keith, the cat one, was using the computer… What are you? Are you an alchemist? I know we like just met each other, but if we’re going to be living together I need to know the truth.”

Now it is Shiro who stammers. “Yes, you’re right. I am… It was… “ A pause, a quiet, nervous inhale. “Keith was playing tricks on you. I have a really bad habit of doodling on random things.”

“And the book?” Matt adds, “I’ve never seen anything like it. What is that?” To his surprise, Shiro laughs.

“I’m not too surprised you’ve never seen a Japanese novel before. We’re in  _ rural _ New Hampshire after all.” Shiro’s replies, although all of his answers are laced with nervousness, most of his replies seem genuine. However, Matt still has his doubts.

“That still doesn’t really explain the symbols in the barn. And if it was all a prank, how did he do it? I want answers. I want  _ details _ , Shiro.”

“God, you won’t quit, will you?” Keith interjects, gently pushing Shiro aside in order to enter the room. “We don’t  _ owe _ you anything, other than a place to stay. You, however, owe us money and respect. You really want to know what’s going on? Shiro isn’t an alchemist. He’s a witch. No one will ever believe you though because as long as I’m here you’ll never have the proof. Now stop sticking your nose where it doesn’t belong. In fact, do us all a favor and stay upstairs unless you’re leaving to go to one of your classes!” His voice gradually increases in volume until he’s full out shouting. Grabbing ahold of Shiro by the arm, he pulls him out of the room, slamming the door behind them. Matt is left standing alone, with nothing but his thoughts to keep him company within the confines of Shiro’s room. 

This isn’t how he wanted to find out the truth. However, it explains a lot. Well, it explains the  _ how _ of what he saw, but not the  _ why _ . Why has Shiro used such symbols? Why is Keith so protective of him? Assuming Keith the human and Keith the cat are the same person, Keith must be a shapeshifter. Or were-cat. Or maybe a familiar? Afraid of agitating Keith further, he grabs a few books to read from Shiro’s room before retreating to his own. Contrary to Keith’s beliefs, he isn’t investigating his housemate in order to out Shiro to the world. Instead, he’s doing it because he is curious and because he wants to know his housemates - not as who they pretend to be, but as they truly are. How can he do that if he knows nothing about them?

Pausing to text his sibling to assure them that his new housemates are in fact not murders and that yes, he’ll have lunch with them sometime this week, he opens the first book he grabbed from Shiro’s bedroom. What could possibly be more informative than a book? Matt can only hope that what he learns will have been worth further angering Keith and potentially upsetting Shiro.

 


	4. Chapter 3.5: Shiro

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> CHARACTER INFO SHEET! I was going to add more but I didn't want to spoil too much.

NAME: Takashi Shirogane

GENDER: (Trans) Male

AGE (HUMAN YEARS): 22

SPECIES: Japanese Witch

DESCRIPTION: Shiro is the son of two Japanese witches. At age 12, he lost his parents. In an attempt to impress his mother, he attempts to summon a unicorn. However, makes a horrible mistake in the spell, and accidentally summons a demon instead. The deem, who calls itself Seigi (Justice) is a cruel creature. When she finds a child summoned her and by accident at that, she goes on a rampage killing Shiro’s parents, scaring Shiro’s face and biting off one of his arms. Together he and Keith manage to make him a new arm out of magical steel. With no one to care for him and with the gruesome and mysterious deaths of his parents spreading like wildfire, he moves to America. There he lives with his grandmother, Sana Shirogane. Sana is older than she appears and dies at age 103 (human years). When she dies, Shiro is 17 (human years).

 

STRENGTH: ★★★★★★☆☆☆☆ (6/10)

AGILITY:      ★★★★☆☆☆☆☆☆ (4/10)

INTELLIGENCE: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ (8/10)


	5. 4: Apologies

4: Apologies

 

It’s early. Way too early to be awake. Yet, Matt finds himself drawn to the kitchen. Tip toeing his way into the dining room he stops mid-step. From the kitchen he can hear a heated discussion. Keith is clashing with someone and this time, it isn’t him. It’s Shiro. Although his voice isn’t nearly as loud as the volume he used when scolding Matt yesterday, it is filled with a frustrated heat. It’s a contradiction, a whisper-yell. Loud but quiet. 

“Shiro, this is a bad idea. He’s a human. They attack what they don’t understand. He’ll have you dissected. Killed even. He may claim that he doesn’t want to out you but what if he slips up? The government could hunt you down and experiment on you. Allowing him to rent out the attic was a horrible idea. You should evicted him. Just kick him out before it’s too late. You don’t want another Adam incident, do you?”

“Keith,” Shiro hisses, and Matt can practically hear Shiro grit his teeth. “That’s crossing a line. You know how much Adam meant to me. Meant to us. You know that he had no choice.”  
“I do,” Keith retorts with a low growl - a sound Matt wasn’t aware any human or cat or whatever Keith is could make. “That’s exactly the point I’m trying to make. Matt could get blackmailed… He could get hurt too. No, not could. He’s going to. He’s too nosy for his own good. Have you looked at your bookshelf? He’s already taken some of your books. We should alter his memories and throw him out the door. For our sake. For his sake.”

There’s a moment of silence. A moment of hesitation. “Keith, like always you make good points but I can’t do that. Besides, I don’t know why you’re adding the ‘for his sake’ bit. I thought you hated him.”

“ _Jesus_ _Christ_ Shiro I don’t hate him!” Keith exclaims. There’s a loud thunk - Keith slamming a mug onto the counter. “If anything, he reminds me of Adam. He’s like Adam but different… More goofy. But in a good way. He brings a lot of positive energy, you know?” Now it’s Keith who hesitating, taking a rather deep and loud breath. “I’m pushing him away because I’m scared. For your safety, my safety and his. We’ve already lost so much. I can’t take any more. I can’t lose someone else, Shiro.”

The once heated argument suddenly loses some of its tension. “I know,  _ Starshine _ ,” Shiro replies, adding a rather affectionate nickname at the end, “I know. Why don’t we go back to bed for a little bit and talk about it more later? It’s 1AM for God’s sake.” Taking that as his cue to leave, Matt tip toes his way back up to his room.

Slipping under the covers with a heavy sigh, he tosses and turns in bed. He can’t stop thinking about everything that has happened. Everything that he heard but shouldn’t have. Wrestling with the idea of sleeping for just a few more more minutes, he gets out of bed. Gathering the books he had ‘borrowed’ from Shiro, he creeps downstairs and leaves them in a neat stack outside of Shiro’s door. 

Immediately retreating to his room after that, he attempts to keep his lingering feelings of guilty and anxiety at bay by watching random youtube videos. It works, with him falling asleep to a video of a cat trying to ride a skateboard. 

The next morning Matt sluggishly makes his way downstairs. His steps are slow out of tiredness but also out of trying to avoid the inevitable. He needs to apologize, not only for his investigating but for overhearing the conversation. Although the first apology may go over well enough, he doubt the second is going to be well received from either one of them. With a heavy sigh, he makes his way through the livingroom and diningroom before reaching the kitchen. 

To his relief, the kitchen is void of strange sights and people. Pouring himself a cup of coffee, he gently stirs in cream and sugar before settling on top of a stool at the counter. Taking a long sip, he eyes the nearby pad of paper. It would be best to give his apology in person but he doesn’t want to wake them up… As it is, his spring break is only so long and it would be nice to go outside for a while. With a thoughtful hum, he decides to write an apology letter before going on a walk through Shiro’s garden.

Hastily drinking his coffee (but not too fast, he doesn’t want to burn his throat), he grabs a pen from a nearby holder. With a soft click, he starts to write.

 

_ Shiro & Keith,  _

_                        The past few days have been rather… Eventful. I really feel like we started off on the wrong foot. It was wrong of me to go snooping around, and it was wrong of me to borrow Shiro’s books without his permission. However, I must admit some of your spells are rather, well, adorable. I especially like the one for expelling negative energy. _

_ I suppose, in a way, this letter is me trying to expel negative energy. I’m sorry for snooping around. I’m sorry for overhearing your conversation about Adam… About me. I know this letter is a flimsy excuse of an apology but I really am sorry. I overstepped my boundaries and put you two in an awkward position. Whatever you chose to do about this, about me, just give me a warning, okay? It takes time to find a new place to live.  _

_ For what it’s worth, I’d like to stay. I’d like to get to know you - not just as magical beings, but as people. I’ll be in the garden if you want to talk.  _

 

_ ~Matt _

 

Pining his letter to the fridge with a rather adorable Jack-O-Lantern magnet, he slips out the front door and into the garden. Following the red brick pathway, he wanders past a vegetable garden and herb garden before entering what feels like a forest of flowers. Suddenly feeling like Dorothy or Alice In Wonderland, he steps off  the path to smell some of the flowers. Although never really having been a plant or flower person, he can’t help but admire the variety of colors and scents. It’s a relaxing environment. As Matt practically skips his way around, he comes to see why Shiro enjoys gardening so much.

His skipping eventually brings him to the edge of Shiro’s property. Or at least the garden part of it. The further he travels the more the garden thins, giving way to a dense forest. The forest, although littered with shadows and the cry of strange animals gains Matt’s interest. It’s a morbid fascination, the aura of the forest heavy with the dark energy of mystery. 

Suddenly feeling very cold, he shivers, wrapping his arms around himself. The flowers around him, in turn shake, pulsing a bright warning red. Taking it as a sign for him to turn around he does so. However, from the corner of his eye he catches movement. Turning his head to look for the source, he’s too late. The creature has gone, leaving behind a single black feather. As the feather oh so slowly falls to the ground Matt plucks it from the air, and holds it up to inspect it. He has no reason for doing so other than the mentality of _why_ _not_? The feather is dark, but has a strange shine, a near glow. With a thoughtful hum he drops his hand, twirling the feather between his fingers as he retraces his steps back to the farmhouse. 

When he returns, Keith is in the kitchen chopping up a variety of vegetables. “You’re just back in time for lunch,” Keith notes, lifting the cuttingboard and pushing the vegetables into a nearby frying pan with a knife. “I hope you like stir-fry because that’s what I making.” Keith merely gives him a glance as he sprays some olive oil on the vegetables and turns a burner on with a soft click. “I have a feeling you wanna talk, if your letter is anything to go by,” Keith stirs the vegetables with a spoon as he speaks, “You wrote a pretty,” a pause, “decent letter. I’m impressed.” Such a phrase coming from such a hard to read and defensive person like Keith is a compliment. Or Matt supposes the closest to a compliment he will ever get.

“Sounds like a plan,” Matt replies, shoving his feather in his pocket before perching himself on a nearby stool. “It seems that you’ve done a lot of the cooking already but is there anything I can do to help?” He may as well take advantage of Keith’s good (or  _ decent _ ) mood to earn brownie points with him.

Keith emits a thoughtful hum, shakes some spices into the pan before saying, “sure. Just watch your hands first. You had something in your hand earlier, right? We don’t need foreign object cooties in our food. After you wash your hands, and  _ only _ after, you can set the table.”

Unable to resist the urge to be a tad of a smart ass, he replies with a “yes, Sir” and a mock salute before dutifully leaving to wash his hand in the downstairs bathroom. When he returns, he awkwardly peeks his way through a couple of cupboards and drawers before figuring out where the plates and silverware are located. Keith glances at him as he searches but offers no advice. Matt isn’t sure if he’s being mean, or if he’s someone that values people figuring out things themselves. Then again, perhaps it doesn’t matter. After all, Matt manages to set the table, complete with a paper napkin for each person. Shiro, oh so conveniently, doesn't appear until the food is divided amongst the three plates.

“Lunch looks great,” Shiro notes with a bright smile, sliding into the seat next to Matt. “Your stir-fry always taste great. Never the same twice, but still great.” At the complement and overly casual atmosphere Matt finds himself relaxing. He can almost forget the mistakes he made and the fact that his roommates/landlords are magical in nature. 

With a thoughtful hum he pushes his food around his plate. The food looks fine, delicious even but he can’t bring himself to eat it. He originally agreed to wait to talk about it but he has grown impatient, grown anxious. They’re all here. Why should they wait? They should just talk, get everything out of the open. 

“So what are you guys going to do? About me?” Matt asks, just as his fork accidently scrapes against an empty part of the plate, emitting a high pitched sound. Wincing, he drops his fork. “Are you going to let me stay? I won’t cross boundaries again… At least not intentionally. Maybe we should write out a formal ‘things you can and can’t do list?’ We don’t even have to talk about magic if you don’t want too. Although, after reading some of Shiro’s books I can’t help but feel curious. As for Keith… I know you’re just doing your job protecting Shiro, but what could I do to hurt him? I’m just a human. The worse I could try to do is out him as a witch but how could I ever prove that? Currently he just seems like a nature lover. Or a Hippie. Or a mix of both.”  He’s rambling, it’s a habit he has yet to break - a habit that resurfaces whenever he is worried, anxious and desperate. 

“Matthew,” Shiro starts, mouth mid chew. With a disgusted nose wrinkle, Keith raises a hand to hush Shiro, at least until he’s finished eating what’s in his mouth. 

“We’re not going to kick you out,” Keith assures him, “for now, at least. We’re going to give you a second chance - your  **last** chance. If you do anything stupid, Shiro will turn you into a big, ugly toad.” 

Shiro, who apparently hadn’t been filled in on Keith’s threat practically chokes on his food, coughing and sputtering for a good minute before finally speaking. “What I think Keith is trying to say is that we’re willing to look over the mistakes that were made and start over. No one is perfect and long as you’ve learned something we’re okay. Well that and you don’t try to have me hunted down and dissected by the government or whatever.” Giving Keith a pointed look, he gives Matt’s shoulder a gentle pat. “Now play nice, you two. You both are nice people that I’m sure can get along, maybe even like each other after a little bonding.”

At the mention of bonding, Keith emits a heavy groan. “Ugh, you and team bonding. All of the exercises are boring and stupid.” Face now donning a heavy frown, Keith shoves forkful after forkful ot stir-fry into his mouth.

“Not team bonding, family bonding. Cause we’re like a family, with the three of us sharing a house. Tomorrow we’re doing family bonding and it’s not stupid,” Shiro corrects, “and don’t think that you can change my mind. I’m a grown, stubborn man that is not easily swayed.” With that said, Shiro resumes eating.

It’s not the strangest conversation he’s been in, and it’s likely one of the most normal interactions he’s had with them in the past couple of days. He feels at least a little relaxed. However, he can’t help but wonder what Shiro means by ‘family bonding’ and why Keith hates it so much. 

  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so a long story short I was almost homeless but then slept on my grandma's couch and now i'm back at college.
> 
> updates will prob be once a month

**Author's Note:**

> Random updates because I am a mess of a human being.
> 
> tumblr: volleycatnika & commander-holt  
> twitter & instagram: akianra
> 
>  
> 
> comments make me smile


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